Eragon: Alternate Ending
by WhYHan
Summary: What if they never made it to the other end of the tunnel? What if they never got to the battlefield for the fight to end? This is my alternative ending to Christopher Paolini's fantastical book: Eragon (Book One) from the Inheritance Cycle. I hope you enjoy it, and thank you for spending your time to read my work. :)


Alternate ending

Yvonne Han

Battle under Farthen Dûr

"It has begun," Arya said with a sorrowful expression. The troops, all lined up in rows, all tense waiting for their queue to attack. I stiffened my body as loud clanks echoed from the other end of the tunnel. Orik swung his axe, clashing against someone's armour trying to hint that he wanted more space, Arya strung her bow, holding it up as if she were going to fire her arrow.

I re-gripped the hilt of Zar'roc wiping the sweat off my hands. After a while my armour began to pull me down, making me doubt whether the Urgal's were going to come from this tunnel. Maybe Murtagh's information was wrong. Maybe it was a false spotting. All we could do now is play the waiting game. The cave fell silent as we could hear wailing shrieks from the defence line outside.

I peered into the darkness of the black tunnel, my eyes could not make out a shape, but apparently Arya's could since she was leaping forward with Saphira towards the tunnel. Murtagh looked as confused as me. I ran forward gripping Zar'roc as hard as I could with both hands now, Murtagh running aside me, and Orik trying to catch up with our pace. I could hear scattered footsteps from behind, our troops were following us. This wasn't smart, all going in at once, but Saphira didn't seem to care so I kept running.

I don't know how far Arya saw because we were running down that tunnel for what felt like an eternity. I could hear the solders start to slow down and be more carless with how loud they were breathing. First what felt like a whisper, then a sudden roar of Urgal battle cries! "CHARGE!" Screamed Arya releasing her arrow into the darkness.

She must have cast a spell because now the whole tunnel lit up a bright orange and Urgals were charging towards us. I raised Zar'roc and slashed the blade at the first one that ran towards me, but he blocked my attack with his shield, pushing me back. I quickly re-gained my balance and stabbed him in his leg which sent him stumbling into a soldier's sword. My Muscles strained, how was I supposed to lead an army let alone kill one if I couldn't even finish off an Urghal? In front Saphira let out a monstrous sound whilst ripping out an Urgals flesh with her mighty talons, shaking off what was left of his body.

At least she was enjoying herself. I ran to Arya's side, hoping she wouldn't notice how badly I was contributing to the fight. "We should hold a line of attack so we can push them back!" I shouted "Maybe then we could get to the end of the tunnel." She ran out of arrows by now and was using her elvish sword to stab an Urgal from a long distance. "Good idea!" She said leaving my side now to spread the word. I felt useful, but then useless as I was knocked to the ground by an Urgal's club.

He raised his club high to finish me off. "Saphira I need you!" With stealth and speed combined she rushed to my aid, landing her weight on top of the Urgal who hit me. _Be more careful next time!_ I rose to my feet embarrassed. I will. And with that she flew forward to join the front line of dwarves and men. I ran alongside Murtagh and Tornac who were now covered in blood. Murtagh's face looked completely transformed, his whole face tightened and his eyes were more alert than ever. I pushed my way to the front only to be confronted by un-friendly faces. Now with a new feeling I raised my sword and forced it through the side of an Urgal's neck, letting the head drop to the ground. This made a few Urgals stagger back but they still kept moving forward. Orik ran forwards burying his axe in flesh, spraying a fountain of blood in my face. My vision was blurred for a bit but blinking rapidly helped. The body dropped on me, but I pushed it away leaving others to trample on it. "Saphira, how much longer until we reach the end of the tunnel?" _Not long now little one, I can see light at the end of the tunnel!_

I ran forwards with Saphira, pushing aside every Urgal in front of me leaving whatever remained to Orik. Slowly the orange glow started to fade until it turned pitch black. "I can't see!" cried a solider I could hear another solider screaming from the back, then another, and another. "Arya, what's going on?"

"I don't know, someone's blocking me, I can't use my magic!"

"Saphira?"

 _I can't see anything either, something's blocking my vision!_

Then the screams were getting closer, even the Urgals were backing away. Now the soldiers around me were panicking and running past the Urgals in fright. Then

Murtagh screamed. "Murtagh! MURTAGH!"

 _I still can't see anything!_

Then Orik started cursing in dwarvish, then screaming like all the others. "Orik! Murtagh! Orik!"

 _I don't think they can hear you_

"We need to get out of here before whatever's getting them reaches us!"

"Your right, but it's really close now and with all the UrgaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

"ARYA!"

 _Come on, we have to go!_

"We can't just leave them!" Suddenly the tunnel lit up a low red and I could see. The whole tunnel seemed foggy, especially the end of the tunnel where there was only

footprints of Urgals left. Saphira looked at me in confusion and around us was a floor of blood and bodies. I held up Zar'roc and leaned against Saphira's back. Arya, Orik, Murtagh, all the soldiers and even Tornac was lying on his side. "Are they alive?" A tear nearly escaped my eye, but I held it in. She went over to Arya's body and examined her closely.

 _They're still breathing, so they're not dead._ The Urgals had fled only leaving trampled bodies and weapons. A high pitched screech filled out ears and it brought me to my knees. The sound was crawling inside my head and my vision flashed between mine's and Saphira's, we were both in horrible pain. I tried blocking it out but all the tricks Brom taught me were useless. Saphira roared in pain and agony for so long. The sound kept getting stronger and stronger and my head began to bleed.

My knees couldn't hold me and I collapsed to the ground. Saphira's roar slowly died down to a harsh croak. Then the screech halted. I felt Saphira's pain as well as mine. I tried speaking to Saphira but nothing came out. I couldn't feel Saphira anymore! Then a figure walked out of the fog. And at the end of the tunnel stood Durza.


End file.
